I neglected to blog yesterday. I was busy cleaning my house, making dip and soup and filling birdfeeders. I have pictures but they're in the camera at home. I need, I need... I don't know what I need but I really need something to center me again.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Monday
Need I say more? It's still cool and windy, but today it doesn't feel whimsical and friendly at all, like it did yesterday, even though it's sunny as all get out. Mom was good yesterday a
nd in the depths this morning. She called me about an hour ago to say she's feeling better but she was also obviously doped to the eyeballs. I hope she makes enough progress soon so that she can go to the rehab. To me that'll mean that she's on the mend. The inaugural Sunday Family Supper went well last night. Everyone liked the soups and we had a nice visit, Porter even came. She spent suppertime outside since some of the housewarming attendees last month fed her from their plates so she learned that goodies come from the table. DS & DIL1 are not thrilled.
nd in the depths this morning. She called me about an hour ago to say she's feeling better but she was also obviously doped to the eyeballs. I hope she makes enough progress soon so that she can go to the rehab. To me that'll mean that she's on the mend. The inaugural Sunday Family Supper went well last night. Everyone liked the soups and we had a nice visit, Porter even came. She spent suppertime outside since some of the housewarming attendees last month fed her from their plates so she learned that goodies come from the table. DS & DIL1 are not thrilled.October 16--Byzantine, The Fieschi Morgan Staurotheke. No one was ever going to use the ancient set of encyclopedias taking up so much shelf space in the library. It seemed like a sacrilege to get rid of them or to cut them apart but the Internet had more relent information available at the touch of a button--or ten. As she removed the heavy books one by one and odd assortment of objects fell out: a silver flash (she shook it) not empty,
I was happy to get that much down. I was bushed after having company and cleaning up. I even washed all the heavy pots before I sat down on the couch. But I should have drunk more coffee with caffeine this morning, I'm drifting off.
--Barbara
Sunday, October 16, 2011
A Scrum of Bobbleheads
This afternoon DS & DIL1 and her mom and dad are coming for soup for supper tonight. I decided last week that I wanted to have some sort of table favors, so I went to the dollar store 
and found some Halloween bobbleheads with bubblegum in them. Last night Durwood and I peeled the tape off of them, tossed out the gum (ick), and cleaned off the tape goo. I found a recipe for two-layer fudge that I made. This morning I cut it into tiny squares and put it into there. They are so cute! And the fudge is good too. It's nothing but chocolate chips melted in the microwave with sweetened condensed milk, and the orange is white chocolate chips with orange flavor and food color, but it hits the spot when you need a chocolate fix. I made some white bean garlic dip and bought some mango salsa to dip crudites in for appetizers. Durwood's getting his Italian Wedding Soup going right now so it'll have the 
afternoon to meld flavors. I'm going to drag the dustrag around and then vacuum, and that'll be that. They're coming to see us, not give us the white glove treatment, AND I just learned that Porter's coming too so nobody's going to be looking for dust. (Which means I went outside to sink the tie-down I use to keep the Christmas flamingo in place, as I was screwing it into the ground an earthworm came screaming up out of there and zoomed [well, zoomed for a worm] off to quieter dirt.) And I was out there for the 4-fighter flyover. Yippee! They were ear-splitting, but I love them. Love. Them. Once I get the dust chased I'll start making my contribution, Creamy Mushroom-Barley Soup. Mmm, "soup for lunch" this week is going to be GREAT.
October 15--Possibly Constantinople, Byzantine, The Fieschi Morgan Staurotheke. Jana wrapped the metal box in a square of silk that used to like Great-aunt Tillie's kimono and slid the little package into the space behind the Cr-Da volume of the encyclopedia. No one used the old set of books except her. Well, Great-aunt Tille had her little silver flask behind the 1937 yearbook but no one else hid things there. No one seemed to miss the little cloisonne box with its lineup of saints around the edges and the Nativity on the top. Jana kept her pink crystal rosary in the box and the Christopher medal her grandpa gave her when she went to sleep-away camp the first time. It had made her sad when the Pope had demoted St. Christopher back to a regular dead guy. A lot of people had little plastic statues of St. Christopher on their dashboards to keep them safe on their travels. Jana wondered if Mr. Christopher kept a person as safe as he had when he was a saint.
Just now I looked up "staurotheke" to discover that it's a reliquary of the true cross. It's a very odd word, isn't it? The other day the Sharp-shinned Hawk landed on top of the fence, flew into the garden to perch on top of one of the tomato stakes, and then moved to the
iron dragonfly sculpture, where I finally managed to snap a photo, and then took off. We love seeing them.
--Barbara
and found some Halloween bobbleheads with bubblegum in them. Last night Durwood and I peeled the tape off of them, tossed out the gum (ick), and cleaned off the tape goo. I found a recipe for two-layer fudge that I made. This morning I cut it into tiny squares and put it into there. They are so cute! And the fudge is good too. It's nothing but chocolate chips melted in the microwave with sweetened condensed milk, and the orange is white chocolate chips with orange flavor and food color, but it hits the spot when you need a chocolate fix. I made some white bean garlic dip and bought some mango salsa to dip crudites in for appetizers. Durwood's getting his Italian Wedding Soup going right now so it'll have the 
afternoon to meld flavors. I'm going to drag the dustrag around and then vacuum, and that'll be that. They're coming to see us, not give us the white glove treatment, AND I just learned that Porter's coming too so nobody's going to be looking for dust. (Which means I went outside to sink the tie-down I use to keep the Christmas flamingo in place, as I was screwing it into the ground an earthworm came screaming up out of there and zoomed [well, zoomed for a worm] off to quieter dirt.) And I was out there for the 4-fighter flyover. Yippee! They were ear-splitting, but I love them. Love. Them. Once I get the dust chased I'll start making my contribution, Creamy Mushroom-Barley Soup. Mmm, "soup for lunch" this week is going to be GREAT.October 15--Possibly Constantinople, Byzantine, The Fieschi Morgan Staurotheke. Jana wrapped the metal box in a square of silk that used to like Great-aunt Tillie's kimono and slid the little package into the space behind the Cr-Da volume of the encyclopedia. No one used the old set of books except her. Well, Great-aunt Tille had her little silver flask behind the 1937 yearbook but no one else hid things there. No one seemed to miss the little cloisonne box with its lineup of saints around the edges and the Nativity on the top. Jana kept her pink crystal rosary in the box and the Christopher medal her grandpa gave her when she went to sleep-away camp the first time. It had made her sad when the Pope had demoted St. Christopher back to a regular dead guy. A lot of people had little plastic statues of St. Christopher on their dashboards to keep them safe on their travels. Jana wondered if Mr. Christopher kept a person as safe as he had when he was a saint.
Just now I looked up "staurotheke" to discover that it's a reliquary of the true cross. It's a very odd word, isn't it? The other day the Sharp-shinned Hawk landed on top of the fence, flew into the garden to perch on top of one of the tomato stakes, and then moved to the
iron dragonfly sculpture, where I finally managed to snap a photo, and then took off. We love seeing them.--Barbara
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Blowing
It's a really windy day and I wish I was out in it instead of here in the store (earning money which I will appreciate come payday on Monday). I would like the wind to blow the leaves in my yard away up the hill into someone else's yard or even across Fisk St. into the park where they'll just turn into mulch. I wouldn't mind leaving the leaves in our yard to turn to mulch but Durwood (and the neighbors) wouldn't like it at all. Actually I'd like to dig up most of the grass and plant
rocks so that I don't have to mow the slopes in our yard but that idea isn't flying either. I am thwarted at every turn.I Must Be Out Of My Mind
I'd rather be home cleaning the house than sitting here working--because I really don't like to clean the house. I like having cleaned the house because I enjoy it being clean, I just want the pixies to come in the night and clean it for me. Actually what I'd really like to do is scrape out everything in the house, sort through it, and only let back inside the things I really love (yes, Durwood, you get to stay). While I have all of our possessions on the lawn I'd peel up all the mid-70s burnt orange and lime green and printed kitchen carpeting. I'd put flooring in the kitchen/dining, and then carpet the rest but with neutra
l carpet that doesn't show dirt and is self-vacuuming. (hey, I can have whatever fantasy I want) I'd scrub down the walls and woodwork and repaint everything a nice soothing tan/gray color with bright yellow in the north-facing kitchen (or have minions to do it). But really, I just want to have the energy to stash my knitting crap in the corner of the bedroom behind a door I can close, zoom around with the Swiffer, clean the bathroom and run the vacuum. I'm relying on Durwood to clean the kitchen since he's adopted it as his bailiwick (although he did let me cook last night's supper). Ooh, it's been busy here at the dive shop so my posting keeps getting interrupted, but it's a good think to have customers so I'm totally not complaining. I'd rather be busy then sit here twiddling (or knitting and watching Netflix streaming videos).
October 14--Thomas Eakins, The Champion Single Sculls. Max sat in his scull, his oars trailing in the river, his muscles feeling hot and smooth. He had won, he had never doubted that he would. When he sat in his scull, the boat a slender knife in the water, he and it were one. He felt the layers of the river, the currents and eddies, and the rocks and logs on the bottom. No trout sliced through the water like he did. He labored over his oars, rocking like a metronome in perfect time to his heartbeat. He and the river were like one organism, of course he was champion. He felt the cool breeze press itself against his side and dreamed of being a sail for it to fill so that he barely skimmed the dark blue surface of the Charles. He had just passed under the Twelfth Street Bridge when the bullet pierced his heart and went through the stern of his boat before tumbling to the bottom of the river like a stone.
Dun-dun-dunnnn. I didn't expect that ending (or beginning). I must have really been tired. Oh, Mom's doing okay; they expect her to be in the hospital through Wednesday next week, and then to rehab.
--Barbara
l carpet that doesn't show dirt and is self-vacuuming. (hey, I can have whatever fantasy I want) I'd scrub down the walls and woodwork and repaint everything a nice soothing tan/gray color with bright yellow in the north-facing kitchen (or have minions to do it). But really, I just want to have the energy to stash my knitting crap in the corner of the bedroom behind a door I can close, zoom around with the Swiffer, clean the bathroom and run the vacuum. I'm relying on Durwood to clean the kitchen since he's adopted it as his bailiwick (although he did let me cook last night's supper). Ooh, it's been busy here at the dive shop so my posting keeps getting interrupted, but it's a good think to have customers so I'm totally not complaining. I'd rather be busy then sit here twiddling (or knitting and watching Netflix streaming videos).October 14--Thomas Eakins, The Champion Single Sculls. Max sat in his scull, his oars trailing in the river, his muscles feeling hot and smooth. He had won, he had never doubted that he would. When he sat in his scull, the boat a slender knife in the water, he and it were one. He felt the layers of the river, the currents and eddies, and the rocks and logs on the bottom. No trout sliced through the water like he did. He labored over his oars, rocking like a metronome in perfect time to his heartbeat. He and the river were like one organism, of course he was champion. He felt the cool breeze press itself against his side and dreamed of being a sail for it to fill so that he barely skimmed the dark blue surface of the Charles. He had just passed under the Twelfth Street Bridge when the bullet pierced his heart and went through the stern of his boat before tumbling to the bottom of the river like a stone.
Dun-dun-dunnnn. I didn't expect that ending (or beginning). I must have really been tired. Oh, Mom's doing okay; they expect her to be in the hospital through Wednesday next week, and then to rehab.
--Barbara
Friday, October 14, 2011
Yarn Stuff!
Finally I have some actual yarn-y content. I appreciate your continued patience with my lunacy.
Last night was the Bay Lakes Knitting Guild meeting and we learned 3 new increases: knit in front and back (of the same stitch), make 1 (right or left leaning), and row below (right or left leaning). Terri had giant US35 needles and super bulky pink yarn to demo them and we all managed to get our yarn and needles to obey with a minimum of swearing but there were a lot of tongue tips sticking out at times. It was great to see new faces and old ones too. It's getting to be a very congenial group and I'm learning a lot of helpful things. Besides, you can't know too many knitters.
I'm working on my MeWarmer (scroll down). See? I've turned the first corner, now I knit straight for a few rows for the underarm, then I'll turn another corner to make the back up to the neck. Basically I'm making a big "U" shape, I'll make another, and then stitch them together to make an open front vest I can snuggle into when winter winds blow.
And it turns out I haven't invented a bizarre hybrid row on my Sea Foam scarf. It was just all scrunched together.
Tonight I'm casting on a Potato Chip scarf at Friday Night Knitting for my Aunt B who wants something I knit to swan around in during the "harsh" North Carolina winters. She'll look fab in it.
Last night was the Bay Lakes Knitting Guild meeting and we learned 3 new increases: knit in front and back (of the same stitch), make 1 (right or left leaning), and row below (right or left leaning). Terri had giant US35 needles and super bulky pink yarn to demo them and we all managed to get our yarn and needles to obey with a minimum of swearing but there were a lot of tongue tips sticking out at times. It was great to see new faces and old ones too. It's getting to be a very congenial group and I'm learning a lot of helpful things. Besides, you can't know too many knitters.
I'm working on my MeWarmer (scroll down). See? I've turned the first corner, now I knit straight for a few rows for the underarm, then I'll turn another corner to make the back up to the neck. Basically I'm making a big "U" shape, I'll make another, and then stitch them together to make an open front vest I can snuggle into when winter winds blow.
And it turns out I haven't invented a bizarre hybrid row on my Sea Foam scarf. It was just all scrunched together.
Tonight I'm casting on a Potato Chip scarf at Friday Night Knitting for my Aunt B who wants something I knit to swan around in during the "harsh" North Carolina winters. She'll look fab in it.
Walk!
That's Mom's orders today from the doc, "rise from your pallet and walk." (Didn't Haysoos tell some leper or cripple something like that in the Bible? He had a lot of nerve, didn't he? Maybe the guy had a good scam going so people brought him stuff and left him alone to read magazines and eat Turkish Delight and didn't want to have to get up and walk, needing to get a job. Did He think about that? Huh?) Sorry. I think my brain's off on a siding and my fingertips are on their own just pounding out random gibberish. Too much to do today, too much to do. We're off to the attorney's office to sign our powers of attorney, wills, and... um... oh yeah, our trust documents to protect our chillens from having to pay probate costs. Then I'm off on Mom-errands--pick up her fixed glasses, go to her apartment to find her 
phone books so she can schmooze her bridge pals while she's laid up, and then go visit her. After that I'll stop at Wally-World for various mushrooms and chocolate chips (nice combo, eh?) and the dollar store to find some "elegant" table favors for Sunday's Family Supper. (Ceramic pumpkins, anyone?) On my way home I'll zip into the birdseed store for safflower and finch food. Gotta keep our feathered friends stoked for their migration or their stay in the tundra. At home I'll tackle the dust buffaloes and hide all my knitting and sewing crappola so it looks like I keep a tidy home (as if anyone cares) and evict Ol' Cesspool from behind the toilet. That should do it for me. I'll light out for Harmony Cafe around 5:30 to knit for the evening with my buds and that'll be that. (Don't you wish you were me? I know you do.) Hey, have you discovered Pinterest? It's a place to "pin" all those nifty recipes, books, decorator ideas, craft projects, etc. that you find online and want to remember.
October 13--James Morrisset, Presentation Smallsword. "You are not taking that to show and tell, Jamie, take it right out of your backpack." James could tell by her tone of voice that there was no arguing with Mom about it. She was seldom as firm about things but he knew that she didn't like weapons of any kind. Dad had insisted that he'd keep the cabinet with the guns and swords locked at all times but James had found it open last night and made his move.
Not an inspirational prompt with a brain fried like mine is. I'm just happy to be staying conscious. Off to erranding!
--Barbara
phone books so she can schmooze her bridge pals while she's laid up, and then go visit her. After that I'll stop at Wally-World for various mushrooms and chocolate chips (nice combo, eh?) and the dollar store to find some "elegant" table favors for Sunday's Family Supper. (Ceramic pumpkins, anyone?) On my way home I'll zip into the birdseed store for safflower and finch food. Gotta keep our feathered friends stoked for their migration or their stay in the tundra. At home I'll tackle the dust buffaloes and hide all my knitting and sewing crappola so it looks like I keep a tidy home (as if anyone cares) and evict Ol' Cesspool from behind the toilet. That should do it for me. I'll light out for Harmony Cafe around 5:30 to knit for the evening with my buds and that'll be that. (Don't you wish you were me? I know you do.) Hey, have you discovered Pinterest? It's a place to "pin" all those nifty recipes, books, decorator ideas, craft projects, etc. that you find online and want to remember.October 13--James Morrisset, Presentation Smallsword. "You are not taking that to show and tell, Jamie, take it right out of your backpack." James could tell by her tone of voice that there was no arguing with Mom about it. She was seldom as firm about things but he knew that she didn't like weapons of any kind. Dad had insisted that he'd keep the cabinet with the guns and swords locked at all times but James had found it open last night and made his move.
Not an inspirational prompt with a brain fried like mine is. I'm just happy to be staying conscious. Off to erranding!
--Barbara
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